Brief for the Museum of the Department of Zoology
Staff:
1. Dr. Kityo Robert
Principal Assistant Curator
2. Mr. Mucunguzi Joshua
Laboratory Assistant attached to Museum
3. Ms. Akite Petra Lepidoptera biologist - Volunteer
4. Mr. Behangana Mathias
Herpertology Biologist -Volunteer
Introduction
The Department of Zoology Museum has a rich history having been opened by Sir Julian
Huxley on the 10th September 1963. It has therefore been in existence for close to half a
century in which time several biologists have studied or consulted its collection, or
deposited new material. A good butterfly collection assembled by the late genetisist
Professor Denis Owen, and a very useful Othorpteran collection by Professor Hughe
Rowell are two such important reference collections. A large collection of birds,
mammals, butterflies moths representing biodiversity from over 60 of Uganda’s forest
reserves and dragon flies and butterflies from a number of the major wetland systems of
Uganda are all archived in the Zoology Museum at Makerere. These together with other
smaller contributions make the Museum an invaluable resource for research..
The Department of Zoology Museum has largely served as a teaching facility for
Biological Sciences, Fine Art and Architecture students. It is a unique resource that
services the Department of Zoology Practical Zoology teaching Programs
Over the years it has assumed the important and challenging role of being the major
repository and referral collection of zoological material in the Uganda.
The Holdings
The Museum has in it holdings, specimens mostly collected from a variety of locations in
Uganda, with a few from Kenya, Tanzania and Europe and North America. The
specimens include groups of: a. Invertebrates
b. Vertebrates
c. A few Fossils
A good proportion of the specimens in the holding have been as a result of voucher
material saved by Members of staff or graduate students conducting research. Many
specimens have been as results of collecting expeditions in collaboration with other
researchers or departments for purposes of documenting biodiversity.
Specimens are curated variously depending on their nature, Vertebrates either as skins
(stuffed or flat), fluid preserved or as osteological specimens, while invertebrates are
preserved as dry pinned insects, dry insects in envelopes, or in fluid.
The Invertebrate collection is currently dominated by the group Lepidoptera (butterflies
and Months) and Orthoptera (Grasshoppers) which form a very useful reference
collection. In addition the small mammal and bird collection also have a fairly
comprehensive reference collection.
The current collection comprises approximately of: Taxon
Approximate numbers of specimens
i.
Mammals
5000
ii.
Birds
3500
iii.
Amphibians
1000
iv.
Reptiles
1000
v.
Invertebrates
20,000
vi.
Osteological
2000
vii.
Fossil
200
Constraints
i.
Space for the growing collection
ii.
Increasing need for more specimen holding facilities
iii.
Staffing situation (Ideal situation should have curators for the different taxa)
iv.
Funding constraints
Translate into: a. Delayed acquisition of required curatorial expendables
b. Purchase of substandard curation facilities
c. Lack of active program for new material (Specimen) acquisition
v.
Accelerated rate of deterioration of specimens due to their dual use for
teaching and research.
vi.
Natural Agents for specimen deterioration
vii.
Lack of taxonomists for certain groups of animals
Plans (future and ongoing)
Continued training in taxonomic skills
Cataloguing and Data basing of the Museum collection
Isolation and establishment of reference collections for those taxa that we a good
representative collection
Active acquisition of new material for both teaching and research
Expansion of the Museum Facility
Research and publication based on specimens
Continued active curation of the collection
Reviewing and/revising the taxonomy of the specimens in the collection
Some collaborative projects
1. Data sharing with the National Biodiversity Data bank
2. Data and production of the East African Bat Atlas (near completion)
3. Impacts of habitat Matrix on biodiversity of Uganda (ongoing)
4. Elevational transect surveys for birds and small mammals of Rwenzori Mountains